Shawarma lovers make a s’wich

We were thrilled to see one of our coolest clients, s’wich, recently open the doors of their gourmet shawarma shop in Dubai Marina to a flurry of hungry customers.

s’wich is the brainchild of entrepreneurs and shawarma addicts Fadel Belmahdi and Bader Al Khooti. The duo approached Tonic early last year with the brief to reinvent the shawarma category, putting a modern twist on the traditional Middle Eastern fare. Their vision was to provide innovative shawarmas that are healthy, fresh, upscale and, above all, customisable.

We developed a positioning that was built around the insight that people are being more experimental with their food with many using it as a means of self-expression. The idea of combining different ingredients and flavours to create something entirely new, entirely ‘you’, really resonates with today’s diners and – with over 1,000 ways to make your own sandwich – s’wich offers endless possibilities for self-expression.

The brand positioning ‘Express Yourself’ allowed us to take the concept of customisable, high-end shawarmas in a playful, engaging direction different from anything else in the market. The customised font that we created especially for the brand combined with the cheeky tone of voice and colourful photography helped to build the brand’s personality and enabled it to stand out from its competitors.

We handled all aspects of the brand development from brand strategy through to creation of the logo and visual language and its application across packaging, signage, uniforms, bike branding and stationery.

CEO and Co-Founder Fadel Belmahdi described the reaction as “overwhelming and phenomenal”.

It seems that the brand is already developing a cult following with many loyal customers returning daily for their shawarma fix. Your can see why once you’ve tasted their food; it’s absolutely delicious with unique flavour combinations that will have you craving more. We highly recommend the Portobello Mushroom s’wich and Truffle and Parmesan Fries – yum! But don’t take our word for it, order online at www.myswich.com or visit their store at Marina View Towers A, Dubai Marina.